Adjustable last



H. FQCRAWFORD. ADJUSTABLE LAST. APPLICATIN FILED MAY29, 1920. *1,4%@343 V Patente@ Augl, 1922. 77?/ l l l i Lasts, of which HARVEY r; en awroii-n, or Bnocn'ron,

MASSACHUSETTS; ninna ivi. Monson EXEGTRIX OF SAID HARVEY F. CRAVFORD, DECEASED.

" i ADJUSTABLE LAST.

Application filed May 29,

- A to shorten thelast and permit it to be withdrawn from a nshoe lasted thereon, the heel section, when in its normal position, imparting operative length tothe last. y

`The invention has for its object to pro vide an adjustable last, the heelV section oit which is located wholly behind the usual socket in the heel portion on-the last, which receives a ack spindle, so that thelast may be shortened to release a shoe built thereon while engaged with the spindle, without varying the relative positions of thc body portion of the last, the shoe, and the spindle.

The invention is embodied in the improvements which l will now proceed to describe and claim. l

.Of the accompanying drawings forming a, part of this speciiication,-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a last embodying the invention, the fore portion ofV the last being broken away.

Figure 2 is a sideview of theportion shown by Figure 1. f

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of F igure 1.

Figure e is ure Figure 5 is a side view, showing the last inverted, and engaged with a jack spindle.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the heel portion of the last before it is prepared to receive the heel section.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

A last embodying the invention comprises a body which includes a heel portion l2, and a fore portion 13, and is made in a single piece or part, preferably of wood, and a movable heel section 18. The body is reduced at its rear end to form an incomplete heel portion, and the heel section 18 is `tormed to complete said portion. The heel portion contains the usual spindle socket 15, adapted. to receive a jack spindle 23 (Figure a section on line lt-1 vof Fig- Specification of Letters Patent. Pgrtfgntgd .Aug3 1, 1922,

5). inclined rectilinear guide y16, located behind thel socket 15, and preferably Jformed by driving a slotted metal tube intoasocket Ytermed for its reception in the heel section, behind the spindle socket, the heel portion being cut away to form inclined'faces 17,behind the guide 16.

The heel section 18is preferablycomposed of metal and is provided with a slide or runner 19, connected with the heel section Serial No. 385,206.

The heel portion 12 is provided with an by a neck 20 occupying a 4slot 21 inthe l guide 16. y

The heel portion 12 is provided lwith a fixed stop member 22, at'the lower endof the socket which receives theguide 16, said stop memberbeing spaced from thelower end of said guide;

The heel section 18 isprovided with a com# plemental stop member, adaptedto abut against the 4.tired/stop member 22, asshown by Figure 3, and thus limitthe last-lengthening'moveinent of the heel section. 'The stop member ofthe heelsection may be the head of a screw 24, engaged with the runner 19 and projecting downwardly therefrom. The lowerend oi the guide 16 and theliead 25 of the screw 24 constitute abutments for a spring 26, which normally holds the! heel section 18 in the position shown by "Figure 3,

this being the last-lengthening position of the heel section.V y 4 y y The heel sectionis movable from its normal position to shorten the last, as indicated by dotted ,lines in Figure 2, this'being accomplished by slidingthe runner 19 in the guide 16, against the stressk of the spring A26. When the heel section isthus displaced, the last isV materially lshortened, as" may `be seen by comparing the full line and dotted line representations of the heel section in Figure 2.

The heel section may be provided with means such as a pin 27, located in a recess 28, for engaging a pulling device, whereby the heel'section may be displaced to shorten the last.

The last may be used in connection with a spindle 237 which is pivoted at 29 to a jack standard 30, the spindle entering the socket 15. The standard 30 may be provided with an arm 31, pivoted at 32, and provided with a hook 88, adapted to engage the pin 27, the arrangement being such that when the toe end of the last is depressed lfrom the position heel section 18 ishm'oved by theehoolr 33 tol shorten the last. The spindle 23 and arm 31, are adapted to swing on their 'pivotaii connections 29 and 32, the arm being nor` mally held in the position shown by Figure 'bly a spring 36. y

a limited ,bearing onlthe interior'of ashoe, and is readily displaced to'shorten the last,

`therefbeing no `displacenfient of any other part of the last relatively to the jaclr spindle. 37 represents awwooden insert or block, Vinserted in the heel section '18,. to receive tacks securing the `heelportionof the shoe to the heel section.

. It is obvious` `that themovement ofthe heel section 18y to its normal or lastllengthening position may be limited by stop means other than themember22 and' SorenT or stud 245.

For example, the 'inclined' faces 17 on. the heelA portion of the last,` and the forward side'o-faces of the heel'. section 18, may be so formed and arrangedthat When the heel section isin its normal Aposition,itsyside faces ivill come to' a positive bearingbn the inclined faces 17, andvwhen the'` heel section is displaced, itsoside fa'cesfi'villbe slightly separated from .the faces 171` The socket Awhich receives Vthe guidev and' the `inclined Lfaces shown by dotted linesA Figure y6, ii'rst boring a hole 39 through the heel portion 12, and then cutting away enoiigli of the material of the heel portion behindthe hole to form the faces 17,. and anopening between said` faeescommnnicating with the bored hole,1and' formed to receive the heel section 18. The member 22 is subsequently inserted and secured in the hole 39, lto close the" lower end of the latter.l Thensual meta-l bottom plate 40`may beapplied to the heel p'brtion 12. after theinsertion ofthemember'22, and may projectunder the latter to supportit.`

, The body portion 12, 13 supportsthe fore partand nearly all of the heelpart of a1 shoe `built npon the last, thearea ofthe heel secvvill be seen that the heel section "18 has Y tion-18 being so limited that said section offers practically no- Yresistance to the removal ofthe heel; and @fa shoe vupper therefrom, when the last is mounted on the spindle 23. The' last may, therefore, .be shortened Without removing it from the spindle, andkvvith out .changing the relative positions ofi` `the last body,

liclaimi 1. A last comprising a body which is reduced at its rear endto form an incomplete heel portion, and is provided with la spindle socket adjacent to'said rear end; andfa movi the shoe thereon, andthe spindle.

able heel section formed to' complete `said heel portion, and provided,with` means# for engaging a pulling device, the last body and heel section being provided with comL plernentall interengaged guide members"` f ranged to permit variations; of the voperative length of thelast bymovements of the heel i section, and with vmeans for' limitinggthe last-lengthening vmovementvof'.the heel sec# tion, the last` body and heelf section being en-` gageable respectively with a jack spindle *l and With a pulling device, iso thatthe` last may be shortened by a tipping Vmovement thereof.l y j A 2. An adjustable last comprising a single part 'body including a Vfoire" portion, and. an

incomplete heel portion, containing the usual; spindle vsocket and provided' Witli` an inclined rectilinear guide behind saidsoclret', a heel Section formed to complete the Yheel portion and having a runner yengaged with said guide and movable therein toshorten andy lengthen `the last` While the bodyand shoekthereon are supported by a Spindle, a headed stud fixed tov thefriinner, the guidebeing provided' with a spring abutment?, and a spring interposedbetween said abutment and the stud head, and normally holdingthe heel section in its last-lengthening position, thev body and heel 'section being provided with stop means limiting the lengthening i movement ofthe heelsection.`

signature.

f Hfievnv r; cRAWroan--- n testimony whereof l have aflixedy 

